


Context Clues

by claudinedelyon



Series: Translator AU [2]
Category: SKAM (Italy)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Ficlets, Gen, they're all disasters, translator AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-08-10 12:50:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20135743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/claudinedelyon/pseuds/claudinedelyon
Summary: A collection of (even more) ficlets from the translator AU.In which Filippo is a great boss, Marti and Nico encounter Martino's ex, and Gio has a favor to ask.





	1. They didn’t warn us about this stuff in school

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They are interrupted by Filippo poking his head in the doorway. “Hey, Marti. Do you have a minute?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set right after [Do you Feel a Comma in Your Heart?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17810084)

The silence has been stretching out for almost a minute before Martino breaks it.

“Fuck, the only thing I can think of is ‘haze’.”

“I know, and I really don’t see how that helps.” Elia sounds a little snappy, and Martino’s not going to take the blame for this, so he answers on the same tone.

“Yeah, well, it’s not my fault nothing rhymes with ‘nuclease’, dude. Don’t put it at the end of the line, and then your problem is solved.”

“I guess I’m gonna have to. But I liked the line I had, I was really hoping I could find a way to make it rhyme.”

“It’d be easier if you could find a synonym, but I’m not sure there’s such a thing.”

“No, I don’t think so.” Elia sighs and stares accusingly at his screen. “They didn’t warn us about this stuff in school, Marti.”

“I know. There’s a lot they didn’t warn us about, but having to translate a song about nucleases is pretty up there.”

They are interrupted by Filippo poking his head in the doorway. “Hey, Marti. Do you have a minute?”

“Sure.”

“Could you come over?”

“Hum, okay. Let me save and I’ll be right here.”

Filippo closes the door of his office behind them. He has a serious look on his face, and Martino swallows anxiously.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, everything's fine. Listen, I’m sorry, there’s no easy way to do this, but I have a question for you."

"Okay," Martino replies cautiously.

"It's been brought to my attention that you're in a relationship with Niccolò."

"It’s been… Wow, okay, first, we've been on two dates. Second, I'm the one who brought it to your attention, as in you asked if we were dating and I said yes. And also, all due respect, I’m not sure it’s any of your business."

"Actually, it is."

"I'm sorry?"

"It’s my business, because you both work here. You're a translator and he's a proofer, that's unethical."

The conclusion seems so far-fetched that Martino can’t believe the words actually left Filippo’s mouth, and he finds himself torn between laughing it off and giving him a piece of his mind. Given that Filippo is the one who gives him his performance review every year, the first option is probably safer.

"You can't be serious, Filo."

"Listen, trust me, I don't want to be doing this, but I have to think of our reputation."

"What do our privates lives have to do with the company's reputation?" Martino can hear that the volume of his voice is rising with each new answer, and he tries to keep it in check.

"Objectivity, Marti. How can he be objective proofing your files?" Filippo answers as calmly as ever, which is not doing anything to soothe Martino’s annoyance.

"I'm pretty sure he can manage."

“We sell our customers high quality subtitles, that’s the only way we can afford to keep our prices given where the market’s at right now. I already have to fight for every single cent we charge, don’t make this harder than it is.”

Martino is speechless. He opens his mouth to answer but nothing comes out. As he struggles to find words that won’t get him fired on the stop, his eyes are drawn to the massive poster of _Titanic_ that hangs behind Filippo’s desk, for reasons he has never cared to explain. When Martino looks back to Filippo, who is still standing next to his desk, he finds him looking down and biting his lip. Suddenly, with a flash of clarity, Martino sees it, he's trying not to smile.

"Are you kidding me? You were joking?"

Filippo immediately loses the pretend seriousness and bursts into laughter. "You should have seen your face!"

"You did all that just for fun?" All things considered, Martino thinks he may be angrier that this was just a joke.

"Totally worth it."

“Don’t you have work to do or something?”

“So much, actually.”

“Then, what the hell are you doing?”

“Messing with you is way more fun.”

Martino opens the door to storm out, but turns around one last time before he does. "I know you're my boss, but I feel like you owe me this, you're an asshole."

Niccolò, who had been walking past just as the door opened, looks between them with wide eyes. It’s not exactly like Martino to insult his higher-ups, not in their presence, at least, and he's never had a bad thing to say against Filippo.

Filippo notices him standing there like a deer in headlights and grins. "Nico, how timely. Can you come in? I need to talk to you.”

Before Nico can move, Martino grabs his arm to stop him. "Oh, my God, go do your job and leave him alone."

He leads a still confused Nico towards the coffee machine as Filippo calls out behind them, “You’re a killjoy, Rametta.”

“And you’re a…”

“Okay,” Niccolò, who has heard enough, cuts him off and drags him away to another hallway before he can finish his sentence.


	2. Blast from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He doesn’t notice either when a man approaches them, a frown and a look of recognition on his face, his eyes boring right into Martino. Niccolò watches him approach slowly, without even sparing him a glance, and then call out, questioningly, “Martino?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set a few months after [Six Months](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18156455).

Martino is so absorbed in his phone, texting in all caps at Luca about where the fuck he is, that he doesn’t notice the woman who clears her throat right next to him in the hope that he will move away from the door he is accidentally blocking. He doesn’t, and the woman doesn’t look happy, so Niccolò grabs his shoulders and maneuvres him two steps to the left with an apologetic smile that she doesn’t return. Martino lets himself be moved but he still doesn’t look up and continues to type furiously.

He doesn’t notice either when a man approaches them, a frown and a look of recognition on his face, his eyes boring right into Martino. Niccolò watches him approach slowly, without even sparing him a glance, and then call out, questioningly, “Martino?”

Nico glances towards Martino who still hasn’t noticed anything. He sighs and calls his name as well, taking his elbow in case he can’t hear them over the noise of the street. “Marti?” The guy glances towards him and the hand that stays on Martino’s arm.

Martino finally reacts. He blinks and looks up at him. “Yes?” He still won’t spare a glance to the guy, so Nico nods in his direction.

The guy grins. Martino doesn’t.

“Hey, Martino.”

“Hey, Gian,” Martino replies while putting his phone away. Surprise passes over his face, but otherwise his expression remains neutral enough.

Niccolò lets go of Martino and takes a good look at Gianluca. He’s seen him on a couple of pictures from Marti’s college days, but mostly he heard a lot about him in the past few months. As it turns out, once Martino had found a way to talk about his asshole of an ex, he had a lot to say on the matter. He probably has some qualities, other than the obvious good looks and being almost a head taller than Martino, but right now, Niccolò has a pretty negative bias against him.

“Nico, this is Gianluca.” He addresses the introduction only to him, and Nico feels a sense of petty victory at that.

Neither of them extends a hand to shake, and this is fine by him. They nod at each other instead.

“Hi.” Gianluca’s attention goes back to Martino. Niccolò may understand but he still wishes he could have spared Martino from it. “It’s been a while, Marti.”

Of course, everybody they know calls Martino that, but the fact that this guy still feels entitled to the nickname really raises his hackles. Martino frowns.

“Yes, it has.”

The glee that Nico feels at Martino’s lukewarm answers is still very much in the realm of pettiness, but that’s between him and his private thoughts, and nobody needs to know.

“Are you still… What was it that you were going to do, teaching?”

Somehow, despite having only just met him, Nico has a feeling Gianluca knows exactly what Martino was studying and that it had nothing to do with teaching. If only because the way Martino talks about the year he attempted to earn some extra money by tutoring makes it very clear that teaching is not a career he ever considered in his life. He’s probably trying to regain the upper hand on the conversation, and it’s a pretty pathetic attempt.

“Translating, and yes, I’m still doing that. What about you, I heard you went to… was it New York?”

The grin on Gianluca’s face falters for a second. “Philadelphia, actually. And no, I’m back in Rome. I came back a couple of months ago.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that,” Martino deadpans.

Nico clears his throat to cover a snort and Gianluca glances at him. Turning his attention back to Niccolò, Martino steps closer and puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Ni, Luca’s locked himself out of his apartment, so he said not to wait for him. Still wanna go?”

“Doesn’t he need help?”

“No, Silvia’s with him, they’ll figure it out.” He turns to Gianluca again. “We have to go, so good luck with, you know…” He makes a vague gesture and steps around Gianluca so they can walk away. “Bye.”

Nico is more than happy to follow him. Once they’ve turned into a side street, he can’t help the grin that blooms on his face.

“You remembered where he had gone, right?”

“Of course, I did.”

“So, you can be a little bit of a dick.” This side of Martino shouldn’t make him as delighted as it does, but it feels really good to know that it is something they have in common.

Martino scoffs in answer. “’Little’? Excuse me, want to amend that statement?”

“You can be a bit of an average dick.”

With a laugh, Martino smacks his shoulder. “Hey, fuck you. I never heard you complain.”

“Oh, I’m not complaining.”

They keep walking before Martino speaks again.

“I never thought I’d see him again. When I heard he left, I thought that was it. I kinda wish you didn’t have to meet him, I’m sorry.”

The statement almost makes Niccolò stop dead in his tracks.

“You’re sorry? Don’t be, I don’t know him, so I don’t really care, but it can’t have been fun for you.”

A thoughtful look crosses Martino’s face for a second, but he shrugs it off quickly enough.

“I would have thought so, too, but it’s been so long, I think I may be over it now. I spent three years thinking he loved me but I was just convenient and he dropped me when he didn’t need me anymore.” He says it so casually that Nico can’t help but be impressed. But he is definitely biased, because every new thing he’s learned about Martino has impressed him so far. “And in the end,” Martino starts again, with a twinkle in his eyes, “I really think I’m the one who came out on top.”

Nico doesn’t even try to hold back his reply. “Oh, you did? That’s not how I remember it.”

Martino smacks him again.


	3. Priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey, Marti. Listen, is Nico allergic to cats?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set between [Six Months](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18156455) and [The Usual Tuesday with a Flu](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19372075)
> 
> For context, Lio is Paola's son.

They’re about to leave when Martino’s phone buzzes.

“Hang on a sec.” He picks up while Nico pats his pockets in search of his set of keys. “Hey, Gio, what’s up?”

Martino taps Nico’s shoulder before pointing towards the keys which are in clear sight on the living room table. Niccolò rolls his eyes and goes to pick them up.

“Hey, Marti. Listen, is Nico allergic to cats?”

Gio never actually calls unless it’s an emergency, and sometimes not even then, so the question, not to mention the fact that he sounds hurried and almost out of breath, make Martino pause and frown.

“I… don’t think so, no, why?”

“Marti, Paola and Lio are downstairs, we have to go. The movie starts in twenty minutes,” Nico hurries him before he can hear whatever Gio answers. Martino thinks about it for two seconds.

“You guys go ahead, Gio sounds kind of freaked out. I’ll catch up with you, okay?”

Nico nods and steps outside, but just as he is about to close the door, Martino calls him back. “Ni, wait. You’re not allergic to cats, right?” If whatever emergency Gio is having requires an answer to the question, he’s at least going to be sure of his answer.

“No. Why?”

“I’m not sure. I’ll be right here.” He goes back to the phone. “Okay, no, he’s not. What’s happening? Why is that an urgent question?”

“Okay.” Giovanni already sounds relieved. “Here’s the thing. Eva’s pregnant, and the doctor said she might not be immune to toxoplasmosis since she’s never had a cat before. Could you guys take Pierre?”

Martino has no idea whether he wants to congratulate his friend on the news or yell at him for the way it’s being delivered. In the background, he can hear Eva’s voice. “Are you serious?”

She sounds exactly how he feels. He rubs a hand over his face.

“Gio… Did you just say you guys are having a baby?”

“Oh, right. Yes, Eva’s pregnant. We’re having a baby in October.”

Finally, Martino can push whatever is going on with the cat to the side for now and focus on the congratulations.

“Okay, that’s more like it. Congratulations! How’s Eva doing? What did the doctor say?”

“Good. She’s doing good. She’s two months in and the doctor said everything looked normal so far.”

His voice still sound a little shaky, and a fond smile grows on Martino’s face. Gio had been such a rock for him since the very first day they met in college and he was not easily rattled, so when he was not only visibly shaken but not even trying to hide it, it meant something big. Obviously, bringing a whole human being into the world would count as something big. Martino knows his best friend, so he puts two and two together, and the fact that Gio didn’t wait the traditional three months to call him, not to mention his fixation on the cat, make him think that Gio might need someone to talk him down a little bit. Actually, Eva might need someone to talk him down as well or the pregnancy might feel even longer.

“And are you okay? You sound a little freaked.”

He hears a door closing at the other end of the line before Gio speaks again.

“We’re having a baby, Marti.”

“I know.”

“I mean, that was the goal and everything, and I know nobody really knows anything about babies until they’re here, but… it’s fucking terrifying.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a normal feeling. You’ve got 7 months to prepare, it’s gonna be fine. And you guys are going to be amazing.”

“Eva is so calm about it. I don’t understand why I’m the one panicking, she’s going to have to do all the work.”

“Well, she’ll probably get her turn at some point, but at least it’s better that you panic now. And then, you can be there for her later on. And Eva’s strong as hell. She’s going to kick ass at being pregnant and being a mom.”

“Yeah, she will.” There’s a smile in his voice, and he already sounds calmer.

“So, what did your parents say? Your mom must be so excited.” Martino asks, to keep him from spiraling again.

“Oh, we haven’t called them yet.”

“Okay, I guess it’s good that you started with me, then. If I can suggest something, for the next calls, maybe don’t lead with the cat.”

“Fuck off, I panicked, okay?” Martino laughs, Gio’s sounding more like himself by the second. “Oh, hey, since you mentioned the cat again…”

“Shouldn’t you make sure she’s not immune first? There’s a test, right?”

Gio doesn’t answer right away.

“How the fuck do you know that, I didn’t know that. Even Eva didn’t know that.”

“Believe it or not, I worked on a documentary about that a few years ago. Although I have no idea why I remember that specifically.”

“I know there’s a test and the risks of contamination are actually very low, but I think I’d feel better if you guys did take him. Would you mind?”

“Of course not. I’ll check with Nico, but I think he’d be fine with it. I’ll tell you for sure later today, okay?”

“Okay. Thank you, Marti.” He sounds immensely relieved, and Martino gets a sense that it must feel like regaining an inch of control in a time of pretty huge changes in their lives.

“But we reserve the right to rename him.”

“No way, man,” Gio protests. “You can’t touch Pierre. You read _War and Peace_, so you know that.”

“Gio, I never finished _War and Peace_. It’s boring as fuck.”

“Boring? You read Zola and you think it’s boring?”

“You know what, I was supposed to go to the movies with Nico, I’m not going to argue literature with you, okay?”

“Oh shit, man, sorry.” Gio is immediately apologetic in the most predictable manner.

“I can’t believe that worked. I don’t mind, Gio, I just didn’t want to hear about Tolstoy.”

“Okay, fine. You’re indulging me with the cat, so I’ll give you a pass for today.”

“Much appreciated. Now, you should go back to your wife and maybe call your parents. And tell Eva she can call me when she gets tired of you fussing over her.”

“Sure, we’ll talk about that again when you guys start talking about kids, alright?”

“Yeah, we’ll see.”

He hears Gio open the door again.

“But thanks Marti. I really appreciate it.”

“Don’t worry about it. And I’m really happy for you two. You’re both going to be great.”

“Thank you. I’ll see you Monday, then”.

Martino’s about to say goodbye as well when Eva says something he can’t catch in the background and Gio speaks again before he can get a word in. “Oh, right, wait. One more thing. Would you be the godfather?”

When Eva speaks again, her words are unmistakable this time. “Oh, my God. What have I done?”

Martino tries not to laugh.

“Gio, I meant it when I said you were going to be an amazing dad, but you have got to get your priorities in order, man.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gio studied Russian and Marti studied French, hence Tolstoy and Zola. The cat is named after Pierre Bezukhov from War and Peace.  



End file.
